CONOR OBERST

'Conor Mullen Oberst' (born February 15, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Commander Venus and Park Ave.

Contents

Saddle Creek and Team Love

Influences

Discography

As Conor Oberst

In bands

Trivia

References

External links

Interviews

Saddle Creek and Team Love

Oberst is one of the founding members of the independent record label Saddle Creek Records, which hosts and has hosted bands including Cursive, Desaparecidos, The Faint, Rilo Kiley (who left to start their own label Brute/Beaute Records), Bright Eyes, Two Gallants, Son Ambulance, Azure Ray, The Good Life, Sorry About Dresden, among others.
Oberst founded the Team Love record label to "do different things, or smaller things, that we couldn't get everyone to be into at the same time" at Saddle Creek,^[1] such as Tilly and the Wall, and Jenny Lewis' solo album with The Watson Twins.

Influences

Oberst was drawn to music at a very early age, due in part to his older brother's penchant for bands like The Cure. He has cited their first singles collection, ''Staring at the Sea'', as the first record he ever bought, as well as being one of his favorites. "It must have been third grade...I bought the cassette at a local record store chain called Homer's in Omaha. I just loved the sound of Robert Smith's voice. It just sounded good."[1]
His biggest influences and favorite songwriters are local musicians David Dondero and Simon Joyner.[2] Joyner wrote the song "Burn Rubber", which Bright Eyes covered on the "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" single. The two used to do mini-tours together, usually on weekends due to Joyner having a family.
Oberst has also been heavily influenced by the 1960s folk revival, mentioning Neil Young, Leonard Cohen (both of whom, like Oberst, sing with a characteristic "warble"), and country singer Emmylou Harris. He covered Neil Young's "Out on the Weekend", collaborating with Jim James and M. Ward in concert. Harris sang in a few tracks on Bright Eyes' ''I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning''.

Discography

As Conor Oberst

:

Title	Year	Label	Format(s)	Notes
''Water''	1993	Lumberjack	cassette
''Here's to Special Treatment''	1994	Sing, Eunuchs!	cassette
''The Soundtrack to My Movie''	1996	Sing, Eunuchs!	cassette
''Kill the Monster Before It Eats Baby''	1996	Sing, Eunuchs!	7"	Split EP with Bill Hoover

In bands

Trivia

★ Oberst used to be a vegan and has supported PETA^[2]. He is now a pescetarian.

★ He was satirized in ''The Onion''.^[3]

References

1. A Musical Vision Comes Into Focus
2. Conor Oberst—Exclusive Interview
3. Nation Planning Surprise Party To Cheer Up Conor Oberst

External links

★ Saddle Creek Records official record label website

★ Conor Oberst Tribute fansite

★ The Story in the Soil fansite

Interviews

★ New York Magazine: Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst Finds Inspiration in New York (01.07.05)

★ NPR: A Chat with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes (01.14.05)